Traffic signal



Dec. 30, I924.

D. H. BROWN 'miAFFIc SIGNAL Filed Feb. 5, 1921 v INVENTOR. Danae" L fififirown/ Q Q m ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

UNITED STATES DANIEL H. BROWN, F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

Application filed. February 5, 1921.

To all 1072,0122. it may concern.

Be it known that I, DANIEL H. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland. county of Alameda, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traflic Signals; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in traflic or direction signal devices, such as are useful to all vehicle operators or drivers to denote a direction of turning or cessation of movement in a more forceful and attention-arresting manner than is possible with the use of the bare hand as a signalling means.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a perfectly portable signal device, which may be employed by drivers of vehicles of all kinds. including bicycles, horsedrawn vehicles, the many forms of motor cars, besides traffic oflicers mounted or on foot.

I am enabled to employ a single design and size of signal for all the above named purposes on account of the fact that my device is not attached to the vehicle in any manner and has no connection therewith.

Instead it is attached to the hand of the driver or traffic-director, in such a manner in every case that the wearer retains the full and free use of his hand.

The hand and arm are therefore used as is now almost universally the case, and to which the public has become accustomed, but the attention for whose benefit the signal is being given has his attention drawn to the outstretched hand, either by day or night, more forcibly by reason of my signal being strapped thereon, in a manner which will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

As stated, the signal does not interfere with the free use of the hand, so that horses can be driven by the wearer, levers manipulated, and small repairs and the like made without removing it. Also in the event that a vehicle should stall on a railroad crossing, with a train approaching, the driver can run down the track, and attract the attention Serial No. 442,688.

of the engineer with the signal so that the latter will bring his train to a stop in time.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes which it is designed.

These objects I accon'iplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of ref erence indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. l is a face view of my signal, showing the same attached to a human hand.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same. dctached.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the .uui'neral 1 denotes the main signal. member, which is made of some stitl but relatively light and thin material. and which is cut and formed as a more or less life-size imitation of human hand, and is preferably colored a bright red, this being the almost universal color for danger signals.

This member adapted to be placed on the back of the hand 2 (usually the left) and is removably yet firmly secured thereto by means of straps 3 and 4 fixed to the member 1, the strap 3 encircling the hand across the palm and passing adjacent the crotch of the thumb, while the strap encircles the wrist or coat sleeve of the wear er, as may be preferred. To prevent the device fromv slipping without drawing the straps in too tight. a slit 5 is provided in the strap -l-., adapted to engage one of the usual buttons (3 with which all mens coat sleeves are provided.

Mounted on the body of the member 1 and projecting outwardly thereof, that is, on the face away from the hand. is an electric light bulb 7 of any of the well known miniature types, preferably enclosed in a small transparent housing 8.

This light, or its housing, is preferably colored to show red when lit. The wires B) from this light pass through a switch 10, of a type similar to the slide-switches employed on pocket flashlights or the like, and then extend to a small battery carried on the person of the wearer. In the drawing,

I have shown these wires as going up inside the coat sleeve, the battery in this case being preferably located in the vest or shirt pocket. In this way, there is nothing'to interfere with the free use of the arm.

Also it will be noted that free use of the fingers of the hand may be had, since these bend away from and never toward the signal member, and the latter therefore never interferes with their manipulation.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A signal means con'iprising a relatively thin, inflexible fiat plate of arbitrary design and of a size to substantially cover a human hand. and means for securing the plate to the hand longitudinally thereof in a manner to allow free flexing of the muscles of the hand without bending the plate.

A signal means comprising a relatively thin, inflexible flat plate of arbitrary design, means for securing the plate to the human hand longitudinally thereof and to allow free flexing of the muscles of the hand, such means including a strap having a slit to fasten over a button on the coat sleeve of the user.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

DANIEL H. BROWVN. 

